Jack Virtue

Jack LeeRoy Virtue was born April 12, 1948, to John and Eva (McCann) Virtue in Custer, S.D. He graduated from Custer High School in 1966. In 1968 he entered the Marine Corps, serving in Vietnam. After his discharge, he spent his work career at various sawmills turning trees into planks. 

Upon his return from Vietnam, friends introduced Jack to Carla Middlemas.  They were married April 17, 1971, and had two sons, Jason and Corey.

Jack loved his boys and enjoyed watching them participate in football, basketball, track and baseball. He became quite the statistician, a skill he used until his final hospitalization. If one needed any football or baseball stats for any number of teams, Jack was your man.

As the boys grew, got married and had children of their own, Jack proudly cheered on his grandchildren at their many sporting events as well as music concerts until it was too difficult for him to get around.  

Jack was an active lifetime member of Custer VFW Post 3442, where he called bingo and served as Sergeant of Arms. He was a proud Marine and a member of the Custer Honor Guard. He enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing, bike riding and bowling with Carla.

Jack died Nov. 1, 2019, surrounded by family at Regional Health Custer Hospital. He was 71.

He was preceeded in death by his loving wife, Carla; parents; sister, Betty Svanda; and brothers Pat McCann and William McCann.

Jack is survived by his sons, Jason (Conni) and Corey (Jana) Virtue of Custer; grandchildren, Kyle and Brady Virtue of Custer, Treyton (Michelle Harstad) Virtue of Sioux Falls, S.D., Americus Virtue of Little Rock, Iowa, and Torri, Hayden and Rylie Virtue of Custer; sister, Shirley Mann; and many nieces and nephews.  

Services will be Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. at Custer Lutheran Fellowship with Pastor Deb Grismer officiating. Burial and a luncheon at Custer VFW will follow.

Visitation will be held on Nov. 6 from 5–6 p.m. with a prayer service at 6 p.m. at Chamberlain McColley’s Funeral Home in Custer. 

In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to purchase a bench in memory of Jack to be placed in the Veterans Park.